Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The country's oldest Islamic political party has announced that its national caucus to select a chairman will begin on Sunday in Bandung, even as the rival candidates ramp up their war of words.

Emron Pangkappi, head of the event's organizing committee, said on Sunday that four senior party officials had already announced their candidacies to lead the United Development Party (PPP).

They are Suryadharma Ali, the incumbent and minister for religious affairs; legislators Ahmad Yani and Ahmad Muqow wam; and Muchdi Purwopranjono, former deputy head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and a founder of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

"We hope all the candidates and their campaign teams compete fairly and do not resort to dirty tricks such as vote-buying or smear campaigns against the other candidates," Emron said.

However, the mudslinging has already begun, with Yani alleging that Suryadharma's camp was engaged in "aggressive and abusive" strategies to sabotage his candidacy.

He accused the chairman's campaign team of threatening to bar regional supporters of his rivals from participating in the caucus. "They're making efforts to ensure that Suryadharma will win the seat by acclamation," Yani said. He added that in light of this, he was considering forming an alliance with one of the other candidates.

However, Romahurmuzy, deputy secretary general of the PPP and a spokesman for Suryadharma's camp, denied the accusation and called it "just another smear campaign" against the chairman.

"There have been many other forms of smear campaigning against us, such as text messages being sent out to the regional branches to attack our camp," he said. He called on the other candidates to stop using "dirty strategies" and to campaign fairly.

"It's clear from their reaction that they realize that Suryadharma is a strong figure in our party and so they have to resort to all kinds of tactics to prevent him from staying on as party chairman," Romahurmuzy said.

Suryadharma has also been accused by Muqowwam's supporters of trying to railroad their candidate's bid by removing him as chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission V, which oversees agricultural affairs. They allege that the demotion puts Muqowwam in a bad light, thereby hurting his chances in the caucus.

Suryadharma is also embroiled in a spat with Muchdi, who recently stood in the selection for chairman of the PPP's Papua branch. Suryadharma said the party would recognize Bachtiar Gaffar as the official winner, after he received the backing of 13 district branches against nine for Muchdi.

However, Muchdi contends that the Papua caucus was flawed and that the votes for Bachtiar should not count. During the controversial ballot in May, the heads of the 13 district branches staged a walkout in protest over Muchdi's candidacy, and then voted for Bachtiar. Muchdi has reported the case to the police, who are investigating.

Muchdi himself has long been under a cloud, having been accused and subsequently acquitted of the murder of prominent human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.

Emron said that the five-day caucus to pick the party's leader and discuss other pressing issues would be attended by representatives from the party's 33 provincial and 497 district and municipal branches, who between them will have 1,130 votes in the vote for chairman.

"We have already received confirmation from all the branches that they will send representatives to the caucus," he said.